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Flying out of Dubai this week? Reach airport at least 4 hours early, says Emirates

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Photo (for illustrative purposes): Wam

Photo (for illustrative purposes): Wam

Dubai - Airline expects increased waiting time at check-in counters due to Covid-19

Published: Thu 14 Oct 2021, 12:31 PM

Updated: Thu 14 Oct 2021, 2:51 PM

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  • Web report

Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates is expecting a high number of passenger departures from the city, advising passengers to arrive at the airport early in order to complete formalities smoothly.

“Due to Covid-19 travel requirement checks and safety procedures, we expect an increased waiting time at check-in counters. Customers starting their journey in Dubai are requested to arrive early at the airport,” Emirates said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi International Airport also announced that they are expecting a large volume of passenger traffic this week during the half-term school break.

Emirates said check‑in counters would open 24 hours before the flight from Dubai, and passengers could check in for their flights and drop off luggage 24 hours before departure.

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For passengers travelling to the US, check‑in counters would open 12 hours before the flight.

Travellers have been advised to check updates on the UAE airline’s website regularly for a hassle-free travel experience.

School break rush

In another statement issued today, Emirates said it was expecting over 190,000 departing and arriving passengers to travel through Terminal 3 at Dubai International this weekend ahead of the school mid-term break.

The busiest day for the airline will be on October 15 (Friday), particularly as many customers depart on morning flights, although high passenger traffic is expected to start today, and will run through October 28.

In addition, more than 430,000 passengers will be arriving on Emirates flights during that same period, as many make their way for holidays in Dubai, and for Expo 2020.

Customers are reminded to check the latest travel requirements and entry rules to their booked destination to ensure quick document verification at check-in, and arrive at the airport at least four hours before their flight departure to avoid any delays.

Emirates also encourages customers to build extra time in their journey to avoid congestion while making their way into Terminal 3.

Passengers physically checking in at the airport are requested to check in no later than 3 hours prior to departure, regardless of class of travel.

Customers who present themselves less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel.

They can also check in online 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. Those who opt to check-in online are reminded to visit the Emirates check-in counters at the airport to collect their boarding pass and to verify travel documents required for each destination country.

Customers are also encouraged to use the convenient self check-in and bag drop kiosks, to skip queuing and reduce wait times at the counter for a more effortless airport experience.

Customers can also utilise Emirates’ biometric path for a contactless journey from specific check-in desks in Terminal 3 to boarding gates, with less document checks and less queuing. Immigration formalities have also been streamlined with biometrics and facial recognition activated at both the smart gates and tunnel.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com



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